Mothers’ Union Festival Service – ‘an uplifting occasion’

Thursday April 25th 2024

At the Connor Mothers’ Union Festival Service 2024 are, from left: Iris Suitor, All-Ireland Zonal Trustee; Sally Connor, Connor President; and June Butler, All-Ireland President.

The annual Connor Mothers’ Union Festival Service took place in Belfast Cathedral on Sunday April 21.

The service began with a procession of colourful diocesan branch banners, with the Diocesan Banner and the Cathedral Banner – carried by Moira Thom, Vice-President Fundraising and Communications Unit and a former Diocesan President, and Diane Innes, Cathedral branch secretary, respectively – received by the Dean of Belfast, the Very Rev Stephen Forde.

The service included the commissioning of Cathy Doig as Fundraising and Communications Unit Co-ordinator and a member of the Trustee Board by the Ven Dr Stephen McBride, Connor Diocesan and All-Ireland Chaplain.

Mrs Doig also read the Old Testament lesson – Exodus 16: 4-15 – with Melanie McAlister, Young Member Contact, reading the New Testament lesson – John 4: 5-30.

The Intercessions were led by Valerie Ash, Worldwide Contact and East Connor Area Chair, and Roslyn Graham, North Connor Area Chair.

The theme of the service was Transformation – Now! and worship was led by the Cathedral Choir, conducted by Jack Wilson, Master of Music, accompanied by organist Stephen Hamill.

Sally Cotter, Connor Diocesan President, read the Mothers’ Union Aims and Objectives.

The special speaker was June Butler MBE, All-Ireland President, who is in the final year of her six years in office.

In her address, Mrs Butler applied aspects of both the New Testament reading of Jesus giving the Samaritan woman water at Jacob’s well and the Offertory Hymn, Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah, to the current Mothers’ Union theme of Transformation – Now!

She pointed out that many lives were transformed by the ‘testimony, judgment and intellect’ of the nameless woman, despised and outcast even by her own people.

Mrs Butler said the encounter of the woman with Jesus presented Mothers’ Union members with a model to exemplify Christ in transformative work in words and actions, even in apparently very simple ways.

In conclusion, Mrs Butler referred to the hymn, Guide me …, the words of which, she said, held a deep personal meaning for her. She used some short prayers based on the hymn’s three verses to illustrate further the possibility of members effecting transformation in many areas of life.

Coincidentally Sally Cotter is also in the final year of her six years as Connor Diocesan President. Speaking after the service, Mrs Cotter said it had been, as always, ‘such an uplifting occasion,’ adding that it represented ‘the high point of the Mothers’ Union year, bringing members together in worship, thanksgiving and fellowship from across the diocese in a lovely setting.’

Report by the Rev Clifford Skillen : Photographs courtesy of Noel Jenkins